The studies support a link between pesticides used on crops with bee colony collapse disorder (CCD). Neonicotinoids are used for coating seeds. A major source of contamination comes during sowing when bees are exposed to dust dispersed in the air from neonicotinoid-coated seeds. Madeleine Chagnon –20 years of bee research “While we wait, the bees are dying”

Italy banned banned neonicotinoids when they are used for coating seeds, although it is still permitted to spray the compounds on the leaves. A sharp drop in mortality of bees was observed around the maize fields in the spring when sowing takes place. Europe banned the use of neonic pesticides last year.

Italy banned neonicotinoids when they are used for coating seeds, although it is still permitted to spray the compounds on the leaves. A sharp drop in mortality of bees was observed around the maize fields in the spring when sowing takes place. Europe banned the use of neonic pesticides last year.

In southwest China wild bees have been eradicated by excessive pesticide use and loss of natural habitat. In recent years, farmers in China have to hand-pollinate their trees, the apple and pear orchards in southwest China, they carry pots of pollen and paintbrushes to individually pollinate every flower.

The evidence linking these neonicotinoids to CCD is significant but not yet conclusive, critics have voiced concerns that the study sample size is too small, that the study’s did not control for other potential reasons for CCD.